North Union players honored

November 22, 2013

Six North Union players earned all-district honors for the 2013 football season in Class 1A District 1.

The Warriors finished the season 2-7 overall and 1-5 in district play.

Named to the first team were senior running back Cody Runksmeier and senior offensive lineman Chase Paulson.

Runksmeier finished the season with 823 yards and 10 touchdowns on 133 carries, an average of 6.2 yards per carry. His longest touchdown run was 73 yards. He also caught 17 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns, including one from 65 yards out. The senior also returned 24 kick offs for 679 yards, an average of 28.3 yards per return. That included one 99-yard touchdown. He returned six punts for 52 yards.

While Paulson helped block for Runskmeier and the rest of the Warrior backfield, he also played in the defensive line for the Warriors where he was fourth on the team in tackles with 52.

Named to the second team were senior quarterback Aric Runge and senior running back Jacob Braddock.

Fact Box

Class 1A District 1 2013

All-district Teams

First Team

All-District

Most Valuable Player: Offense: Zach Nieman, South O'Brien

Most Valuable Player: Defense: Jon Zubrod, South O'Brien

Punter: Caleb Olson, North Union

Kicker: Justin Kamstra, Western Christian

Specialist: Ethan Fenchel, Western Christian

Coach o the Year: Mark Fuhrman, South O'Brien

Assistant Coaches of the Year:

John Beck, South O'Brien Paul Ellnsohn, Gehlen Catholic-Le Mars.

Emmetsburg

Tyler Henson, Sr., Dl

Allen Jensen, Sr., RB

Austin Krause, Sr., TE

Shay Mortenson, Sr., DB

Joel Hoyman, Sr., OL

Greg Wesley, JR>, LB

Gehlen

Pat Livermore, Sr., C

Blake Wiltgen, Sr., QB

Mitchell Flack, Sr., LB

Aaron Jentz, Sr., WR

Western Christian

Jeffrey Granstra, Sr., LB

Drew VanSloten, Sr., RB

Brady VantHul, Sr., WR

Ethan Fenchel, Sr., WR

Daniel VanMaanen, Sr., QB

South O'Brien

Zach Nieman, Sr., RB

Jon Zubrod, Sr., DL

Austin Rohrs, Sr., LB

Marcus Atkinson, Sr., SP

Sam Johnson, Sr., OL

Bret Puhrmann, Sr., DB

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn

Logan Rozeboom, Sr., LB

Hunter Kuehl, Sr., RB

Pat Ewoldt, Sr., OL

Ryan Flynn, Sr., LB

North Union

Cody Runksmeier, Sr., RB

Chase Paulson, Sr., OL

Okoboji

Noah Bouse, So., LB

Second Team

All-District

Emmetsburg

Aaron Bird, Sr., DB

Brandon Elbert, Sr., DB

Gehlen

John Mayrose, Sr., OL

Corey Sitzmann, Sr., OL

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn

Evan Metzler, Sr., DB

Jordan Japenga, So., RB

South O'Brien

Patrick Wubben, Sr., DE

Kelvan Lansink, Sr., WR

Western Christian

Jacob VanGinkel, Sr., LB

Adam Heynen, Sr., LB

North Union

Aric Runge, Sr., QB

Jacob Braddock, Sr., RB

Okoboji

Jordan Hanna, Sr., WR

Austin Kolegraff, Jr., DL

Honorable Mention All-District

Emmetsburg

Zach Anderson, Jr., QB

Gehlen

Colton Kneip, Sr., TE

Payton Bouman, Sr., RB

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn

Marcus Rodrigues, Jr., K

Connor Kuchel, Jr., DL

South O'Brien

Denny Weber, Sr., OL

Ethan Faust, Sr., OL

Western Christian

Justin Moser, Sr., DL

Colton VanOtterloo, Sr., DB

North Union

Derrick Blair, Sr., OL

Eythan Blair, Fr., LB

Okoboji

Cole Millard, Sr., DL

Austin Fox, Sr., DB

Runge completed 72-of-145 passes for 1,082 yards with six touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also ran the ball 105 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns. On defense Runge had 41 tackles.

Braddock carried the ball 56 times for 131 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for 321 yards and one touchdown. He also completed 2-of-2 passes for 66 yards including a 35-yard touchdown.